Saturday, December 8, 2007

By now everyone has heard about Climate Change. It's the new way that the world will end unless we use our power together to shape a purer, chastized humanity, one that controls the weather. This newfangled idea is all the rage.

Reasonably well-attended, a gathering of a rally of a protest was held at noon today amid the snow and ice of the skating rink at the taxpayer-supported Covent Garden Market. It's no surprise a couple hundred people showed up -- how could one "resist" this poster? I simply had to attend to see if there would be any gas masks, or any of the carbon-based-tear-gas spewing corporate-serving pigs who make them a necessary accessory. I think the idea here was to press the authorities to make believers and unbelievers alike be the change the protestors wish to see, and our children, and starfish, and droughts, and stuff.

As always, this was a decidedly partisan affair. As no rose is without its thorn, and as no child's joy in receiving a new toy is without its quota of hundreds dead from rising sea levels, no environmental protest is complete without its applause line demanding that the $100 million spent on Afghanistan instead be used to create jobs for climate change activists. I admit that my awareness was not raised very much, since my denialist pal L. was among those lured by the police-state emergency imagery. L. has a similar taste for political rallies that involve "saving the world" by empowering and obeying leaders with visions, so we were too busy joking around to learn anything. But anyways, "people making more jokes about mass movements" is one change I want to see. So we did make a difference, but still, apologies for my frivolity and inability to give details. Besides which, reader, regardless of your status as good person or denier, you could probably have gotten up there yourself and given a speech of your own about the need not only to change our own behaviour but to take action and use the government to make other people change theirs too. Second verse, same as the first.

London-Fanshawe NDP MP Irene Mathyssen was there, as ever, in front of the nationalistic-yet-diverse standard of the Council of Canadians.

City Controller Gina Barber gave a speech, too. Ms. Barber's newly assigned, environmentally friendly "People Power" sleigh-pulling human resource stands at ease in blue reindeer horns. To those who allocate him, he is worth his weight in carbon credits.

There were about six or seven speakers in total, but the Change Agency Formerly Known As The Covent Garden Market had more stuff inside on the second floor.

Not even the democratically elected leaders of some of the few open societies on the planet escaped criticism. Here, in playful effigy on the second floor landing of the Covent Garden Market, were the "Black Hearts of Bali".

On the way past this, George Bush spilled my latte.

By the way, you can buy all sorts of marvelous things at the Covent Garden Market! Don't you want to help make Stephen Harper have a bad day by spending your money at its folksy market stands?

This year, kids, how about if Santa brings nothing for Christmas but empty boxes? You can keep warm in them without Daddy having to pay any carbon taxes, too!

Upstairs, there was a makeshift, prison-like phonebooth where one could telephone the Prime Minister and demand more action. Laptops allowed market-goers to talk to internet websites, such as one that wants drive-throughs banned in Canada, or another that tells you about Al Gore in Bali. The tables included booths with pamphlets and books and slogan pins.

"Full of Food -- Full of Life!"

No, no more power to the people, that will be quite enough, thank you, 1967 is thataway, just find the arrow of time and go the opposite direction. Tell Syd Barrett to take it easy with the acid, and don't forget to take the authoritarian saluting imagery or whatever with you as you leave, since it isn't called for in London, Ontario.

Contemplate, and within yourself resolve the juxtaposition of a Nobel Peace Prize quote with the decidedly fascist photograph.

If we work together, we can do it.

And that was that. At points, it really was a well-attended rally as these things go in London, and it does seem that these days, green events do bring the people out much more than anti-war ones. Of course, the traffic on a Market Saturday afternoon will provide many, many eyes that might normally drive right by a Victoria Park event, so this is a new kind of orange to compare. But if the Covent Garden Market is open to being used like this, it may become a rallying point of choice!

And so, the proceedings over and the activist booths mined, I departed to comfort the afflicted.

Pretty stupid that the market let the glowtards in to do a rally. Do they not understand the glowtards are militiant anti-consumer?

I don't think 97% of the glowtards realize what this movement really means.

Wait until they start losing their jobs, because they were too stupid to realize the ripple effect.

It is all fun and games until they are standing in a welfare line, waiting for their bowl of organic mush(better known as compost), and mandated an alternate day schedule to light up their beeswax candle to keep warm.

1. First off, the taxpayer-funded public square at the market cannot stop peaceful/ lawful assemblies, although we all know that jackbooted Elaine would end that fundamental right, if given half a chance.

Fortunately, she has no influence whatsoever among thinking Londoners/ Canadians. Among single-cell amoebas in a petri dish, I hear that Elaine has considerable influence.

When they plant poor ol' Elaine, what's left of the Flat Earth Society may send a representative to celebrate human ostriches and their tendency to live in denial in darkened rooms.

Even simpletons, however, should be able to understand that human impact on the earth/ climate/ weather has never been greater than it is today, as we urbanize the planet spewing pollutants into the air and water, as well as on land.

It is impossible to denude and de forest the planet with causing a severe change in the climate as our climate and weather is created by the interaction of all the physical elements.

Hard-core climate change deniers are like clueless rebels without a cause, living in denial because of a deep, pathological need to act like contrarians, deceiving themselves that they are smarter than everyone else, when in fact they have warm and runny shit for brains (think no-brain Elaine).

The proof will likely be in the pudding during the next 25-30 years and history will not be kind to spaced-out weenies who think you can have a robust economy when the shit hits the fan and existing settlement patterns prove catstrophic for millions of people.

It's like the debate on the dangers of pesticides. Who are you going to believe?

Lobbyist John Matsui who's on the payroll of the chemical and lawn care industry or David Suzuki, who operates a non-profit organization with a proven track record in public advocacy.

And anyone who puts any faith in Health Canada, which receives plenty of dough from the industries that it so-called regulates, is a certified idiot.

Personally, I thrive on them! They are hilarious and entertaining, though I might have a different opinion if I were trying to earn my livelihood there from customers with both feet on the ground, or if I had escaped from a country where people give each other such salutes routinely.

No, I want the Market to hold more, bigger, louder protests so that my friends and I can make more, bigger, louder fun of them on the Internet.

For me, the "science" of global warming is irrelevant. I don't buy it, of course; but much more fascinating to me is the anthropology of it all, the way things come full circle and the High Council is once again tasked with propitiating the gods through sacrifice to bring the rainy season. It's eye-opening, consciousness-raising stuff.

Now they can regulate them to a degree, but market officials cannot prevent them from happening in the public square. One of the purposes of public squares is for peaceful asemblies and other lawful protests.

This very issue reared its ugly head a few years back after the market first opened and its misguided, naive board of shit-for-brain directors (Polhill and Caranci) thought that they could preclude protests and other peaceful gatherings in the public square.

They were promptly corrected by City officials and other lawyers, after it became an issue during a city council meeting.

Regarding the market being for affluent shoppers only, that's a load of hooey as well. All kinds of people shop there -- from every socio-economic demographic.

No-Brain Elaine was wondering why market merchants would want or let so-called anti-consumers protest there is another laugher from a dull-as-a-hoe mind.

Merchants love it when hundreds of people gather in the public square to do anything. People spend money. Too complicated for ya, Elaine? Knock, knock on the noggin', anybody home ... echo echo ...

If you like protests so much you should get off your fat arses and organize a few of your own.

You're developing no political clout or cache by your johnny-one-note, repetitive arguments here. Get outside and breathe some fresh air!

As it is, you're like a bunch of pinched-face, bitter losers who couldn't organize a tea party for two.

Break out of your rut and be somebody. Join the Freedom Party, skydive off of a building with a banner, something, anything ... take over the mayor's office and demand fiscal accountability.

Only if you are the moral majority. They are nice words, but they do not apply to many who are not white, heterosexual Christians. They don't let racist groups assemble freely, and terrorism has made "free" speech "free from anything disturbing to a partisan panel of judges who won't hear your claim because it isn't our problem" speech.

Peaceful assembly is only ever made less peaceful by someone trying to stop them...you don't usually see protesters or supporters fighting over who agrees more...

I am with you Mike, I like to watch the hypocrite glowtards out protesting global warming in the snow. Just something about it that strikes me funny.

Do you not see the irony in it Butch. Glowtards who espouse to the rest of us not to be buying stuff, and them having a rally in the market. Now I know for a fact if they start stopping people from purchasing, they can get their asses reamed.

Perhaps even a few glowtards bought something at the market, and hid it under thier coats as not to let the other glowtards attack them for buying.

As long as the glowtards keep it peaceful I find nothing wrong with it.

We're dong lots Butch. Many, many, many, people read this blog, and others we frequent. That is protest enough, getting people on board to see how stupid the glowtard movement is.

Keep up the good work on reporting the crime here in London Butch, on your website. Much better than a blank page I suppose.

I'm still trying to figure out why Bitch Mclarty so frequently comments over here amongst "a bunch of pinched-face, bitter losers who couldn't organize a tea party for two." As far as I can figure, he is an insecure aging man with visions of grandeur, who raises himself (in his own estimation) by insulting those who won't march in line behind his band.

Annon, for your own good, do not use ageism in here. You never know, a socialist could be lurking, and have you hauled before a human rights commission for implying Butch is a senile old bastard who has lost touch reality.

No worries, Butch, I've got everyone on this all-star cast in line for plum civil service appointments in the next city administration. House-by-house inspections for unregulated leftist thought-crime material, you know, that sort of stuff. But don't worry, we'll sell permits and use the money to pave greenspaces and demolish heritage buildings.

Thought I'd stop in to quickly peruse the comments of this wonderful site. I'm glad to see the old gang still at it. Funny, I was reminded to re-visit this site by a sale I noticed in the paper (at wal-mart - a place of splendor for you folks) on helmets and oven mitts. All you foggies should head down and replenish your stocks.

The IPCC says: "Human activity is likely causing half of the observed warming". I'm sure you can find fanatics who say humans are causing all of it...

Actually, most of the big-time global warming promoters, including Mr. Nobel Prize winner himself, believe that humans are the only cause (See below).

Note: The following is from "An Inconvenient Truth" link off AlGore.com - Al Gore's own fanatical site. You can find the following passage listed under "The Science" (LOL).

"The vast majority of scientists agree that global warming is real, it’s already happening and that it is the result of our activities and not a natural occurrence. The evidence is overwhelming and undeniable."

Note the phrase: "...it is the result of our activities and not a natural occurence."